265228 Sgt. Aime Ernest Thievin Royal Canadian Air Force 425 (Alouette) Squadron from:Benson, Saskatchewan My father Aime Thievin served in the Canadian Air Force in WW2.
I am writing a book with his entire story, here's a very small excerpt:
"The following morning did not come early. We rose and packed up our belongings, and we then loaded them in a truck that was to take us over to our next arena of duty. This was the 1st of November 1944. I had a quick look at my diary and noted that it had been almost exactly two years since my training for war had begun back in Brandon, Manitoba. Like a gang of bumbling hooligans, we all piled into the vehicle and headed down the winding roads past tall hedges and farmyards for a half hour until suddenly the truck slowed down and the massive encampment of Tholthorpe loomed in front of us.
Hundreds of shining aircraft were lined up on the tarmac like a wake of buzzards. It was a formidable sight. Halifaxes loaded with bombs were pouring out single file on operations. No sooner had they left, others were returning. I stood there for a moment, awed by what I saw. It seemed much like a sinister factory where uniformed employees were hard at work, making deliveries en masse and going about their everyday business. This was the home of No. 425, the Alouette Squadron, where we too would begin flying combat missions in and out of Germany. Well, at least we direly hoped that our missions would always include a return trip from that frightening place and back to safety where thousands of men before us had already alighted from their aircraft on more than one occasion and kissed the ground, either in their minds or for real."
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